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I possess some opinions regarding the remarks delivered by ESPN broadcaster a well-known announcer following the Serbian champion's win over Taylor Fritz during the US Open quarter-finals. Look – the athlete represents American, the commentator is American – and athletic competitions frequently encourage nationalism. Some letdown was understandable. Rather, he invoked the continued drought of American men at grand slam tournaments: not one of them has won a trophy since Andy Roddick in 2003, and he had been the final representative in the competition.

Everyone enjoy a narrative, myself included. But really. Suppose Fritz had beaten Djokovic for the first time, phenomenal talent Carlos Alcaraz was looming in the next round, who Fritz has never defeated in an competitive encounter. And had he someway gotten past that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, against whom Fritz had dropped 10 of the previous eleven sets. The two young stars had also divided the previous seven major titles (plus Alcaraz proceeded to thrash a tired Djokovic in the next round). Fritz stated in press following his defeat that he actually preferred his path, because it offered the chance to beat the three best players in the world in succession. He is well justified to aspire to the achievement; an competitor is supposed to have faith in themselves. But going into that Serbian quarter-final who else sensibly had the lack of US winners on the brain?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the only thing between her and sustained success

Fritz, 28, is placed number four in the global rankings entering this week’s ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his last six encounters over third-ranked the German with increasing ease. Presumably he could claim that position for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that at present, that’s as far as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz sit a chasm of ranking points away. Fritz’s elite serve and concussive power on each front side and reverse side are sufficiently enough to defeat the majority of rivals on the ATP tour. When facing the select few generational talents, however, Fritz is often overmatched. The last several years has witnessed the curious emergence of tall, gangly players who can nonetheless cover the court with the alarming speed and fluidity of much shorter players. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His footwork is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he’ll rarely win a rally that the opponent was controlling, and hitting a drop shot against him is usually a reliable tactic. That serves as a pretty harsh restriction on his upside.

The American has achieved a several dramatic, improbable improvements throughout his career. At the beginning of the decade, he was hovering around the bottom of the world's best thirty. Two years later, he was sniffing the top 10. The previous season, he unexpectedly surged to fourth place – and maintained the position. But the subsequent step, mixing it up with and defeating all-time-greats like Alcaraz, the Italian, and including a declining Djokovic, is the toughest of all. What could the commentator thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the continuing drought of American men winning grand slams when he had departed the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply excessive and the appreciation for the difficulty of the challenge insufficient.

The American star achieved a personal best advancement to the All England Club semi-finals in July.

The American's performance in that very quarter-final should have been enough of an indication. Djokovic triumphed in four sets, a win that only felt tenuous for moments towards the very end, when the American had survived a few championship opportunities and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo appeared evenly matched during the exchanges, with the American earning numerous chances to break. But Djokovic rescued service break opportunity after service break opportunity, extending the run to the brink of agony. When he eventually did claim a single of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately produced a horrendous game to lose his own serve again; the Serbian had lulled him into a skirmish peripheral to the real battle and compelled him to use far too much effort to prevail. Down match points in the last game, his first serve sailed to heaven. He extended the contest twice on his second serve, but ultimately committed two errors. It was not a collapse, I didn’t think, only a result of needing to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The contest was fairly ironclad proof that the American is not good enough to defeat any form of Djokovic, who lost to Alcaraz in the next round and did not particularly appeared like he thought he could triumph. This is absolutely fine – the Serbian is the best player ever, and may not be at the height of his physical powers anymore, but has acquired sufficient knowledge and strategic intelligence to make up for quite a bit of the decline. The issue is the individuals who were anticipating the American to prevail, and pressuring him to do so, when he was had not accomplished anything that indicated he would.

Fritz is an valuable contributor to the tour regardless. He’s a patient, reflective presence in press conferences, more so than almost anyone on the ATP aside from the Russian star, prepared to not only say his emotions or the tactic he felt determined a contest, but clarify it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the blame for America failing to produce a men's grand slam winner since Andy Roddick seems unjust. (Since Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, maybe they can share that load.)

ATP Finals: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Group

• The Spanish phenom
• The American contender
• The Australian speedster
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Bjorn Borg Division

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• Ben Shelton (US)
• The Canadian talent

“I would likely dwell on it indefinitely if I fail to accomplish it,” Fritz informed an interviewer in June of claiming a grand slam. I hope he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not fulfill that objective, that breaking through Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying reign is in fact highly unlikely for all other players. {